With the Brexit fast approaching and new developments being made left, right and centre, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service in the Netherlands (IND) has now completely updated the Brexit information section on its website. This section was previously criticised by immigration lawyers for scaremongering.
Although Brexit is due to come into force on March 29, 2019, no definitive deal has been made between the UK and EU. On November 13, 2018, the UK and EU did draw a draft withdrawal agreement, which would mean that Britons could live and work in the Netherlands after Brexit; however, this agreement has not been made final.
Only when British and European Parliament have approved the agreement will Britons rights to live and work in the Netherlands be secured. Right now, therefore, the position of Britons in the Netherlands after Brexit is uncertain. The IND states on their website, “your situation is a top priority for the Dutch government. Consequently, the Netherlands will do its utmost to reach a deal with the UK.”
In both the event of a deal or no-deal, your residence rights will be affected.
In a deal scenario, you will be able to continue your life in the Netherlands as usual and apply for permanent right of residence after five years of legal residence just as EU citizens can. Up until December 31, 2020, nothing will change for you. You don’t need to take any special action or obtain any documents and you will have the same rights as you did before in the country.
Between March 29, 2019, and December 31, 2020, you will be invited via letter by the IND to apply for your new residence status. Invitations are spread across this period of time to prevent everyone from applying all at once and creating a backlog of applications.
In the event of a no deal, “the Dutch government will provide a decent solution for your residence in the Netherlands”, IND asserts. You will also be informed of your residence status and any procedures you must follow via letter in the period leading up to Brexit. According to IND, “conditions for obtaining the new residence status are not yet known”.
The IND website emphasises two steps that Britons in the Netherlands now need to take. Firstly, UK nationals should register themselves at the municipality they live in. By doing so, the government can contact individuals if necessary. Those who haven’t already done so should apply for a DigiD. Via your DigiD, you can complete IND applications online easily.
The Dutch government is keen to find out how British citizens in the Netherlands feel about Brexit and what the best way would be to inform them about its possible implications. If you are a British citizen living, working or studying in the Netherlands, you can voice your opinions via an anonymous survey commissioned by the government and carried out by consulting and research agency Kantar Public.